Superfamily SPHECOIDEA 1709 



The more primitive species lay the egg on the first prey brought into the cell and the most ad- 

 vanced species place the egg in the empty cell. The nest may have a simple unicellular structure 

 or it may contain up to 5 cells; accessory burrows are made by some of the more advanced spe- 

 cies. 



Taxonomy: Evans and Matthews, 1968. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 61: 1284-1299, 26 figs, 

 (synopsis of N. Amer. spp., keys, characters of species groups). 



Biology: Evans, 1957. Studies on compar. ethology Bembix, 248 pp., 52 figs., 29 tables. 



Species Group Belfragei 



These primitive species nest in a variety of soil types, make multicellular nests, and place the 

 egg on the first fly brought into the cell. 



belfragei Cresson. South cent. U. S. Ecology: Nests in large aggregations in coarse to fine 

 sand, makes a 2-celled nest with each cell at the end of a branch off the main burrow, 

 each with an accessory branch, provides 20-28 prey per cell. Parasite: Senotainia sp. in 

 triliiieata (Wulp) complex; Dasymutilla pyrrhus (Fox)? Prey: Tabanidae spp.; 

 Systoechus vulgaris Lw.; Eristalis agrorum F., E. latifrons Lw., E. tenax L., Volucella 

 fasciata Macq.; Orthellia caesarmi Meig., Stoynoxys calcitrmis L.; Cochliomyia 

 macellaria (F.), Phaenicia caendeiviridis Macq., Phormia regina Meig.; Sarcophaga 

 bullata Prkr., S. cimbicis Tns., S. Iherminieri R.-Desv., S. prohibita Aid., S. quenda 

 Wlkr., S. uncata Wulp, S. ventrkosa Wulp, S. spp.; Acroglossa hesperidarum Will., 

 Arcliytas apicifera Wlkr., A. aterrima R.-Desv., Belvosia seyniflava Aid., Bioniya 

 neoviexicana Tns.?, Bonnetia comta Fall., Ceracia dentata Coq., Copecrypta nite^is 

 Wied., Enplwrocera floridensis Tns., Go7iia sequax Will., M icropkthahna disjuncta 

 Wied., Peleteria sp., Phorocera claripeiinis Macq., Prosenoides sp., Sturmia sp., 

 Winthe7)iia quadripustulata F., Tachinidae sp. 



BeynbexO) Belfragei Cresson, 1873. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 4: 220. 6. 



BembexC.) cressonis Handlirsch, 1893. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-Nat. Kl., Sitzber. 102: 792. 

 6, 9. 



BevibexC.) insig7iis Handlirsch, 1893. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-Nat. Kl., Sitzber. 102: 793. 

 6, 9. 



Bembix cressonii Dalla Torre, 1897. Cat. Hym., v. 8, p. 503. Lapsus. 



Taxonomy: Evans and Lin, 1956. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 82: 61, figs. 98-101 (larva). 



Biology: Evans, 1957. Studies on compar. ethology Bembix, pp. 59-78, figs. 13-18 (mating, 

 nest, prey, egg, life cycle). —Evans, 1966. Compar. ethology and evolution of sand wasps, 

 pp. 315-317, fig. 161 (nest, prey, parasite). 

 frommcri Bohart. Calif. (Inyo Co.). 



Bembix frommeri Bohart, 1970. Pan-Pacific Ent. 46: 201. S. 

 gillaspyi Evans and Matthews. South. Calif, deserts. 



Bembix gillaspyi Evans and Matthews, 1968. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 61: 1290, figs. 8-9. 3, 

 9. 

 rugosa Parker. Ariz. 



Bembix nigosa Parker, 1917. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc 52: 95. 9. 

 stenobdoma Parker. West. Tex. to south. Calif. 



Bembix stenebdoina(,\) Parker, 1917. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc 52: 79. In key. 

 Bembix stenobdoma Parker, 1917. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 52: 94. S. 

 U-scripta Fox. Tex. to south. Calif.; Mexico, Guerrero and Morelos to Baja California. Ecology: 

 Nests occasionally in large aggregations in soil varying from loose sand to coarse, 

 compact sandy gravel, makes 2-5 cells per nest, places egg on first prey brought into 

 nest, hunts prey and stores nest only at dusk, provides up to 40 prey per cell. Prey: 

 Hermetia aurata Bell; Tabanus texanus Hine; Chromolepida pruinosa (Coq.); Apiocera 

 liaruspex 0. S.; Efferia sp., Erax cressoni Hine, E. tuberculatus Coq., Psilocuriis 

 nudiscidus Lw., P. modestus Will., P. puelhis Brom., Saropogon sp., Stenopogon ebyi 

 Brom., Asilidae spp.; Aphoebantus sp. near hirsidus Coq., A. spp., Desmatoneura 

 argeidifrons Will., Lordotus g. gibbus Lw., L. g. striatus Paint., Phthiria sulphurea Lw., 

 P. sp., Poecilanthrax lucifera F., Villa flavipilosa Cole, V. parvicomis Lw., V. 



